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Infertility: Thinking About Adoption

Topic Overview

You may wish to consider adoption as an alternative to treatment for
infertility. Learning more about the tests, exams,
success rates, and costs of infertility treatment may help you decide. Adoption
provides people with an opportunity to raise and nurture a child.

When deciding whether to adopt, think about:

Your emotional feelings about not being
genetically related to your child. Think about why you want a child. How will
you deal with a possible lack of information about your child's genetic
background?

Your feelings about adopting a child from a different
ethnic background. How do the members of your family feel about someone from a
different ethnic background coming into the family? How will they deal with
sensitive issues that may come up? Will your extended family be able to embrace
the child? How will you answer the child's questions about his or her origins?
How will you answer questions other people may ask about the child's
heritage?

Domestic and/or international resources for
placing a child. Many state agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Health and
Welfare Family Services, have information on children available for adoption.
Also, many adoption agencies and private attorneys advertise their
specialty in adoption issues. Search the Internet for nonprofit or
government-regulated adoption agencies. Check the yellow pages in your
telephone book under "adoption."

Your personal financial resources.
Compare the costs and success rates of elective infertility treatment with the
costs and success rates of adoption. Be clear about what you can afford and
about your financial ability to provide for your family's
needs.

The length of time the adoption process involves. Compare
the time involved in infertility treatments with the time involved in adoption
processes. Are you able to be patient and accept the time
frames?

The personal evaluation process required of all parties in
adoptions. Adoptions require checks on personal background, financial status,
and employment status. They also require home studies by social workers,
physician health statements, and in some cases, psychological
evaluation.

Adoption and infertility treatments are both complex options that
need careful consideration. Support groups and counseling along with the most
recent information on both options can help an individual or couple make the
best decision.

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How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.